Boot stretcher



E. R. HAWKINS BOOT STRETCHER Oct. 9, 1951 Filed April 24, 1950 INVENTOR. Ear/ A? Hank/'n.9

f2' /Iz'ovf patented ct. 9, '195.1

15.001` STRETCHER Earl RpHawkins, Olathe, Kans.,l assigner to C. H. Hyer & Sons, Olathe, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Application April 24, 1950, Serial N0. 157,684

1 This invention relates to boot stretchers commonly used to enlarge portions of 'a shoe or boot to relieve tightness or binding on the wearers foot and especially to stretchers for that portion ofthe boot which is normally over the instep of the foot.

The primary object of this inventionV is to provide a boot stretcher having a pairiof sections, one of the sections being placed on the sole of Y the boot and the other section being forcefully brought into stretching relationship with the boot. Y

Another important object of this invention is to provide a boot stretcher which may be introduced into the boot and apply a stretching force thereto at different Ylocations within the boot, thereby adjusting the size of the boot as required to fit the foot on which the boot is to be worn.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boot stretcher having a pair of sections with a lever engaging both sections and a screw producing a lifting force on one section and bearing on one end of the lever, thereby raising the vone section into engagement with'the boot along a substantially.rectilinear path.

Other objects of this invention include the way in which one section of the boot stretcher has a lever-receiving slot to facilitate insertion of the stretcher into the foot portion of the boot and a roller is located on the end of the lever which forceably engages the one sectionthereby re- Y ducing friction and the effort required to produce the desired stretching effect.

In the drawing, Fig. lshows the boot stretcher in place in .l stretching relationship with a boot.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section along the fune 11-11 in Fig. i, looking in the direotionof theV arrows.

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the line III- III of Fig. 1, looking in the Y direction of the arrows. c l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectionY taken along the longitudinal center line of the boot stretcher; and,

Fig. 5 is a cross Ysection taken along line V'-V of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.v

A boot l0 as shown in Fig. 1 has .a boot stretcher located in the foot portion thereof. A section I2 having the upper surface roundednfor engage- 7 Claims. (Cl. 12--129.4)

2 ment with boot lll in the portion thereof normally over the instep of the wearer.

Section I6 has a pair of links I8 in opposed relationship affixed to the lower and rear portion thereof extending downwardly. The rearmost portion of section I2 is disposed between links I8 and is rotatably mounted therebetween by means most surface and at one end thereof.

of pin 2U. An elongated slot 22 formed along the center line of section I2 receives a lever 24 for rotation about a fulcrum pin 26 located intermediate the ends of slot 22 and lever 24.

Lever 24 has a socket 21 formed in the upper- A roller 28 is disposed for rotation in the bifurcated portion of the lever at the opposed end of the socket 21. A screw 30 having a T-handle 32 at the uppermost end thereof extends through a bore 34 in section I6 and is threadably engaged by a collar 36 having a pair of opposed trunnions 38 integral therewith and rotatably mounted in section I6.

The lowermost end of screw 30 engages socket 21 in lever 24. Section I6 has a plurality of holes 4I) formed in the upper surface for engagement with the boot I0 andfor holding the same from slipping along the surface of said section I6 by the trapping of air in the holes 4U and thereby presenting a gripping action on boot II). Bearing plate 42 is disposed on the undersurface of section I6 along the path of travel of roller 28. The diameter of bore 34 is sufficiently large to accommodate the rocking motion of screw 30 as the end thereof follows the end of lever 24.

In use, screw 30` is retracted until the complementary faces of the section I2 and movable section I6 are together, and lever 24 is submerged in slot 22. With the parts of the boot stretcher 'so disposed, it may be inserted into the foot portion of the boot I0 and the lowermost surface of section I2 brought to rest on sole I4. Screw 30 is then rotated by turning handle 32, thereby bringing the lowermost end into engagement with socket 2l of lever 24.

Further downward travel of the screw 3G causes the end of the lever 24 proximal to socket 2 to engage the sole I2 of the boot I 0 and, in cooperation with the screw 3B, to provide a lifting force through collar 36 and trunnions 38 to section I6. Further, the operation of screw 3E) causes lever 24 to rotate about fulcrum pin 26 which brings Vroller 22 into engagement with bearing plate 42 on the lowermost portion of section I5. Roller 28 moves along the bearing plate 42 as the section I6 is raised.

Furthermovement of screw 30 produces a liftgattacca ing force on section I6 by the action of the roller 28 and in cooperation with the rotation of the lever 2s about fulcrum 26. Section It is thereby moved vertically in a substantially rectilinear path by virtue of being raised at the rear end and the forward ends simultaneously. The forwardmounted end of section I6 thereupon engages the butt end and stretches the material thereof as required. The openings 4G prevent the boot l0 from slipping off the rounded portion of section i6 and thereby facilitate the stretching of a particular area.

The boot stretcher is shownzinarearmost position in the boot Il] in Fig. l, butit may be moved forward and used in a variety of positions, thus being useful to stretch any yportion of the boot i from the toe r'rearward to the upper portion. To remove the boot 'stretcher from the boot iE, the screw 30 is turned in the opposite direction for collapsingthe structure, whereupon lever 28 returns to the slot 22 and the section i6 returns to closed proximity to the section I2. i

While the boot stretcher has been designed particularly for boots, it is manifest that the broad principles hereof might well be used for shoes and other types of footwear and provides a simple device for easily accomplishing the stretching required. Accordingly, it is desired to be limited only by the spirit of this invention as dened by the scopeuof the appended claims.

vI-laving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent is: n e Y, l Y

1. A` bootstretcher comprising a body having a pairof articulated sections 'and adapted for insertioninto a boot, one of the sections bearing against va v'portion of vsaid boot when the stretchervis'in anfoperative'position within the boot; a lever pivotall'y A"mounted Von'said one section; a manually manipulable screw carried by fthe vother seetion for Aengagement with the lever atone side of the'pivot thereof, said other sectionbeing disposed for engagement by the lever at'apoint'm the'o'ppositerside of saidfp'ivot`to eertpressure upon the other section andtherebyforc'e the'latter Yagainst another portion Y'ofthe "bot when the screw is manipulated toswingu the lever in`ne direction;

and an elongated, lever-receiving slot Ain said' one section, said lever being s'wing'ableto andfrom a position 'disposedmentirely within said slot.

2. A boot stretcher comprising a body having a pair of articulatedr secticns andadapted for insertion into va boot, one ofthe sections `b`ear-' ing against na portion Yof saidhot when the stretcher is in anoperativepos'ition within the boot; a lever pivotally 'mounted on said one section; a manuallymanipulable Vscrew carried'by the othersection for engagementwith the 'lever at one sider of the pivot thereof Q said otherV section being disposed for engagement by the lever at a point on the opposite side ofsaid pivot to exert pressure upon the'other'section and thereby force the latter against anotherportion of the boot when the screw is manipulated to swing the lever in one direction;. an elongated, lever-receiving slot in said one section, said lever being swingable to and from a position disposed entirely within said slot; and a collar threaded internallyI to receive the screw and having a pair of trunnions in opposed relationship integral therewith, said trunnions being received for rotation bythe other section.

3. A boot stretcher comprising a body 'having a pair of articulated sections and adapted for insertion into a boot, one of the sections bearing against a portion of said boot when the stretcher is in an operative position within the boot; a lever pivotally mounted on said one section; a manually manipulable screw carried by the other section for lengagement with the lever at one Side of the pivot thereof, said other section being disposed for engagement by the lever at a point :on the opposite side of said pivot to exert pressure upon the other section and thereby force the latter against another portion of the boot when the screw is manipulated to swing the lever in one direction; an elongated, lever-receiving slot in said one section, said lever being swingable to and from a position disposed entirely within dsaid islot; a collar threaded internally to receive the screw and having a pair of trunnions in opposed relationship integral therewith, said trunnions being received for rotation by the `ether section; ahdfa roller mounted on the lever Afor engagemeritwith 'the other 'section as the lever is swung 'on's'aidpivot 4. `A boot'stret'cher comprising a body having a'pair of 'articulated sections 'andadapted for insertion into a boot, one of .the sections bearing against 'a portion fof said Vboot when the stretcher is in an'op'erative position within the boot; a lever pivotallykm'ounted on said one sec- "tin; "and 'a manually-,manipulable screw' carried by nthe other "s'ec'ti'n "for "engagement with the lever at one `side of the pivot thereof, said other section being 'disposed for engagement vby the lever at'a p'oi'nt 'on"th'e"op posite side of rsaid pivot to -exert 'pressure 'upon the other section and Nthereby force"the'l atter against another portion "of the boot `w`h`en the Yscrew is manipulated 'to swing the' l'everinone' direction.

5. A boot stretcher comprising a body 'chaving "apair of'articilate'd sections and adapted for insertin'intoabdot, one of the sections bearing "against 1a ".port'ion'o'f said boot when the 'stretcher -risV in 'an operative'p'osition within the Ylz'z'ootg' aflever'pivotally 'mounted on said one section; "and a manually-manipulable screw carried by the other sectonifor engagement with the 'l'ver at `one"s"id'e "ofthe pivot thereof, `said other vsection"being "disposed for Vengagement by the lever `at a'p'oint"ontheoppositeside of said pivot to 'exert pressr'euponthe "other section and thereby force`r the latter againstanother portion "of 'tle`b'ootwhen thescrew ismanipulated to 'swing the lever in'one fdirectionand a screwthreaded collar swin'gably'carried inthe other section for receiving the screw.

6. A boot stretcher" comprising a'body having a pair of articulated'sectionsi'and adapted for "insertion 'intoa boot' when the' stretcher is 4in an operativeposition lwithin the boot; -a'lever' pivotally mounted on said one sectiona'nda man- `ually-mani'pulable screwcarried b y the othersection for engagement withtheiever atoneside 'of the pivot thereof, saidother section 'being Vdis- 'posed 'for' engagement bythe'le'ver at a point on "the oppositeside of said pivot'to'eXert pressure upon the other section and thereby'force thelatvter against Aanother `portion of 5 the Y boot* '-when the screw"is"man'ipulated 4tof'swing the lever in 'one direction; 'and a Yroller Amounted 'on Hthe -lever for engagement 'with' the Iother section as the 'lever'is swung'on--said pivot.

stretcher is in an operative position within the boot; a lever pivotally mounted on said one section; a manually-manipulable screw carried by the other section for engagement with the lever at one side of the pivot thereof, said other section being disposed for engagement by the lever o at a. point on the opposite side of said pivot to exert pressure upon the other section and thereby force the latter against another portion of the No references cited. 

